Captain's supremacy waning? CPM central leadership orchestrating major political move in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Communist Party of India (Marxist) is manoeuvring a major political move in Kerala to isolate former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who rejected the central committee report that blamed the state leadership's failure for the election defeat. The move against the former chief minister, started by a section of leaders, has the tacit support of the CPM central leadership.

Critics said that Pinarayi Vijayan completely rejected the report approved by the central committee, which was also published on the party website. The central leadership's review report pointed out that the failure, style and candidate selection of the leadership, including Pinarayi and M.V. Govindan, led to the defeat. However, Pinarayi Vijayan, in his political explanation in Payyannur and Taliparamba, never mentioned the report but rather blamed the ranks and the media propaganda for the defeat. The central leadership consider Pinarayi’s stance similar to someone not ready to accept his mistake.

A section of leaders demanded an answer as to why a political explanatory meeting was held only in Payyannur and Taliparamba, and why Pinarayi rejected the report approved by the state committee and the central committee. The central leadership also assessed that Pinarayi is taking a stand against the party's report. The opposition faction is planning a move to discuss this issue at the large state committee to be held in Kozhikode from the 13th of this month.

The state committee had not decided to hold a policy clarification meeting in Payyannur and Taliparamba, where party rebels contested and won. With the unilateral stance taken, there are indications that Pinarayi Vijayan’s support is waning within the party. The party has clearly identified the reason for the defeat in these constituencies. Even leaders close to Pinarayi are unhappy that he ignored the report and blamed the ranks and media for CPM’s defeat.